Apparatus for continuous casting



June 18, 1968 BUCKWALTER ETAL 3,388,737

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 10, 1966 m INVENTORS DAVID I BUCKWALTER DAVID MUKAVITZ GEORGE SPOLARICH V ATTORNEYS June 18, 1968 Filed May 10, 1966 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING D. J. BUCKWALTER ET AL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 18, 1968 J, BUcKwALTER ETAL 3,388,737

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 10, 1966 INVENTORS DAVIDI BUCKWALTER DAVID MUKAVITZ GEORGE SPOLARICH BY W ATTORNEYS mm q m United States Patent 3,388,737 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING David J. Buckwalter, Ontonagon, and David Mulravitz and George T. Spolarich, White Pine, Mich, assignors to Copper Range Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Michigan Filed May 10, 1966, Ser. No. 548,982 8 Claims. (Cl. 164-283) This invention relates to the continuous or semi-continuous casting of metal in graphite molds and has for its object the provision of an improved apparatus for such casting. The invention is particularly concerned with apparatus including a casting mold in which castings of rectangular or other cross-section are formed from molten metals of which copper, brass, bronze, and aluminum are typical. The mold is formed of graphite either in a single block or in two pieces with mating joints providing a cavity of the desired horizontal cross-section open at the top for receiving molten metal and at the bottom, for removing the solid billet or cake. The joint between the mold sections is sealed.

The new casting apparatus comprises a steel casing which surrounds the mold at an appreciable distance therefrom and forms a spray chamber in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged to spray water on the mold. The mold is yieldably held in the casing by a plurality of springs, which are disposed in the spray chamber between the mold and the casing, and the sprays from the nozzles not only cool the mold but also cool the springs and thus maintain their hardness and resiliency. The nozzles are arranged in a staggered pattern to give maximum cooling, preferably in rows vertically and horizontally, providing some overlap of sprays while insuring that drainage from the upper sprays does not unduly interfere with the spray impingement of the lower sprays. The sprays are advantageously connected to a water system operated under a pressure of from to 100 p.s.i., depending on the rate of cooling desired.

The casing surrounding the mold is spaced, preferably from two to four inches, from the mold, this spacing permitting the use of fairly long coil springs between the casing and the mold. Preferably, the springs do not bear upon the mold but on metal plates in contact with the surface of the mold. The sprays are directed against both the mold and also the metal plates and thus effect good heat transfer from the mold.

The casing has a support member on which the mold rests and the member closes the bottom of the spray chamber surrounding the mold and provides a means for the controlled drainage of the cooling water. The top of the spray chamber is closed by a metal plate resiliently bearing on the top surface of the mold.

These and other novel features of the invention will be better understood after considering the following discussion and accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a plan view with parts in section of a continuous casting apparatus of the invention which includes a mold of oblong cross-section;

FIG. 2 is an end view at 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 1 showing an emerging casting;

FIG. 4 is a side view, with parts removed, of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an enlargement of the bolt means for securing the cover over the spray chamber.

The apparatus of the invention illustrated in the drawings comprises a casing 1 in which the graphite mold 2 is mounted. The mold in the form illustrated is oblong in cross-section and it is made up of half parts 3 and 4, part 3 consisting of a long side 5 and half ends 6 and 7, while part 4 consists of a long side 8 and half ends 9 and 10. The half ends 6 and 9 and the half ends 7 and 10 are connected by slip joints 15- and 16, respectively. The mold has a vertical casting cavity 17 for forming a casting as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. It is understood that the mold will have dimensional overages to allow for shrinkage, and tapers to allow for the casting shape change during the progression of the metal through the mold.

The casing 1 is preferably formed of steel and comprises upright side walls 18 and 19 and half end walls 20, 21, 22 and 23, spaced about 2 to 4 inches from the mold to form a spray chamber C. The end walls 20 and 21 are clamped together by angle bars 24 and 25 secured to the walls and drawn together with a gasket 26 between them by a bolt 27 to form a tight joint. The end walls 22 and 23 are similarly held together by angle bars 36 and 31 and a bolt 32 which effect a tight joint by means of a gasket 33 between the bars. As shown in FIG. 3, the casing is supported by angle bars 34 and 35 attached to the casing walls and resting on springs 36 seated on a base or floor 27.

The joints 15 and 16 are sealed by pliable gaskets 38 held in curved seats, which are machined in the ends of the mold sections, by clamping bars 39. The bars are held in place by springs 40 bearing at their outer ends against the end walls of the case around studs 41.

The side Walls 18 and 19 of the casing have mounted therein a plurality of water spray nozzles N. The nozzles are arranged in a staggered pattern and are connected to headers H and H connected to a water system for supplying water at a pressure which may vary from 5 to psi. depending on the rate of cooling desired. The ends of the mold are cooled by sprays from nozzles N mounted in the end walls 20, 21 and 22, 23 of the casing and supplied by pipes 50, 51 and 52, 53 connected to the headers H and H. The mold is preferably provided with bars 54 and 55, on which the springs bear and which serve mainly for stiffening purposes. The sprays from the side nozzles impinge on these bars, which may be perforated to permit the sprays to reach the mold through the perforations.

The mold rests on a horizontal plate 56 which completely surrounds the mold opening and is secured to flanges 57 on the casing side walls and ends by bolts 58 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The plate is provided with drainage holes 59.

The top of the spray chamber is closed by a cover plate 60 which is connected to a flange 61 at the top of the casing side walls and end walls by bolts 62 bearing on spring washers 63 (FIG. 5). The yieldable attachment of the cover plate effects a sealing pressure on a gasket 64 (FIG. 2) between the cover plate and the mold.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of coil springs S are mounted in the spray chamber to bear on the side Walls 18 and 19 and bars 54 and 55 lying in contact with the outer surface of the mold. The springs encircle and are held in place by lugs '65 on the side walls and lugs 66 on the bars 54 and 55. The springs are located to apply even pressure on the bars and they are kept cool by the water sprays. With the mold centered in the easing resiliently by the springs S bearings against the side walls and the springs 40 acting through the sealing gaskets on the end walls, the mold is self-aligning.

If desired, a header 67 with spray openings may be mounted beneath the mold to spray water directly upon the cake issuing from the mold. The additional cooling so provided permits higher casting speeds.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for the continuous casting of metal which comprises a graphite mold having an upright cavity open at the top and bottom, a casing surrounding and spaced from the mold to provide a spray chamber at the sides and ends of the mold, a plurality of springs interposed between the sides of the casing and the mold sides and applying pressure against the sides of the mold, means closing the top and bottom of the spray chamber, and a plurality of spray nozzles secured to the casing for spraying cooling water into the spray chamber to cool the springs and mold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the mold is formed of complementary parts with upright joints and sealing means bear against the parts along the joints to seal the joints.

3. The casting apparatus of'claim 1, in which the nozzles are in staggered arrangement on the casing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the means closing the top of the spray chamber is yielding and means are provided for closing the lower end of the spray chamher and supporting the mold.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, in which the means closing the top of the spray chamber includes a metal plate, a gasket between the plate and the mold, and yielding means connecting the plate to the casing.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes metal plates in contact with the outer surface of the mold and engaged by the springs.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the mold is oblong in cross-section and is held yieldingly in the casing by springs acting on the sides and ends of the mold.

'8. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the casing is spaced from the mold two to four inches.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,264,288 12/1941 Betterton et al. 164283 2,268,100 12/1941 Zunckel 164283 X 2,705,353 4/ 1955 Ziegler 16489 2,769,218 11/1956 Harter et al. 164283 2,893,080 7/1959 Goss 164--283 X 3,076,241 2/ 1963 Simonson et a1. 16489 X FOREIGN PATENTS 750,887 2/ 1945 Germany. 686,413 1/1953 Great Britain. 84,544 3/ 1957 Netherlands.

J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

R. S. ANNER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS CASTING OF METAL WHICH COMPRISES A GRAPHITE MOLD HAVING AN UPRIGHT CAVITY OPEN AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM, A CASING SURROUNDING AND SPACED FROM THE MOLD TO PROVIDE A SPRAY CHAMBER AT THE SIDES AND ENDS OF THE MOLD, A PLURALITY OF SPRINGS INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE SIDES OF THE CASING AND THE MOLD, MEANS CLOSING THE TOP AN BOTTOM OF THE SPRAY CHAMBER, AND A PLURALITY OF SPRAY NOZZLES SECURED TO THE CASING FOR SPRAYING COOLING WATER INTO THE SPRAY CHAMBER TO COOL THE SPRINGS AND MOLD. 